Cincinnati teens meet with trainers at police academy[Cincinnati, OH]

April 24, 2001(CINCINNATI) – Officials at the Cincinnati Police Academy decided to go ahead with a long-planned program for teenagers, deciding that the recent riots showed that dialogue was what the city needs.

The 35 teens spent Monday afternoon in discussions with trainers. Much of the session involved lessons in when police officers can use force and how the teens should respond if stopped by police.

The shooting death of 19-year-old Timothy Thomas set off several nights of rioting, mainly by young black men. Thomas, who was unarmed, attempted to run away when he was pulled over. He had a long record of traffic violations and a few minor offenses, and investigators are unsure why he tried to get away.

The rioting came to a halt after local officials imposed a curfew, which was lifted last week. The shooting is still being investigated.